A ctivist-lawyer Femi
Falana (SAN) yesterday said a “political cabal” has hijacked governance in
Taraba State.
Falana (SAN) yesterday said a “political cabal” has hijacked governance in
Taraba State.
He alleged that
Governor Danbaba Suntai could not have written the letter sent to the House of
Assembly on his readiness to resume official duties.
Governor Danbaba Suntai could not have written the letter sent to the House of
Assembly on his readiness to resume official duties.
Falana said he had
petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), the
Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and House Speaker Haruna Tsokwa,
urging them to investigate and make public the true state of Suntai’s health.
petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), the
Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and House Speaker Haruna Tsokwa,
urging them to investigate and make public the true state of Suntai’s health.
Falana said his
petition to Adoke was based on the Freedom of Information Act.
petition to Adoke was based on the Freedom of Information Act.
He spoke to reporters
after making a presentation at the Military Law Forum of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) at its Annual General Conference in Calabar, Cross River
State.
after making a presentation at the Military Law Forum of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) at its Annual General Conference in Calabar, Cross River
State.
On why he wrote the
petitions, Falana said: “Unfortunately, another political cabal has emerged in
Taraba State to cause confusion and to deny the ailing governor the opportunity
to have himself fully treated.
petitions, Falana said: “Unfortunately, another political cabal has emerged in
Taraba State to cause confusion and to deny the ailing governor the opportunity
to have himself fully treated.
“He’s been brought
back to the country to achieve certain selfish political interests that have
further endangered the health of the governor.
back to the country to achieve certain selfish political interests that have
further endangered the health of the governor.
“He’s not in a
position, from the information at my disposal, to write a letter, to compose a
letter, to sign a letter and to send the letter to the House of Assembly of
Taraba State.
position, from the information at my disposal, to write a letter, to compose a
letter, to sign a letter and to send the letter to the House of Assembly of
Taraba State.
“Hence, I’ve sent a
petition to the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the circumstances
surrounding the writing of that letter.
petition to the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the circumstances
surrounding the writing of that letter.
“I have also sent
another one to the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly to set up a
committee to investigate the health situation of the governor.
another one to the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly to set up a
committee to investigate the health situation of the governor.
“Based on information
that the Presidency or the Federal Government has information on the true state
of health of the governor, I have sent a petition to the Attorney-General of
the Federation under the Freedom of Information Act to make available to me and
to the Nigerian people the state of health of the governor so that the citizens
of Taraba State can be properly governed in line with the Constitution.”
that the Presidency or the Federal Government has information on the true state
of health of the governor, I have sent a petition to the Attorney-General of
the Federation under the Freedom of Information Act to make available to me and
to the Nigerian people the state of health of the governor so that the citizens
of Taraba State can be properly governed in line with the Constitution.”
Falana said if Suntai
was healthy enough to resume his duties, he should have met with his deputy and
the Speaker for a full briefing on how the state fared in his absence.
was healthy enough to resume his duties, he should have met with his deputy and
the Speaker for a full briefing on how the state fared in his absence.
“It is very dangerous
for us that this culture of impunity has continued unchecked,” he said, adding:
“If the governor has recovered, and is prepared to resume his duties since
Sunday, he should have appeared in his office, attending to his files; he
should have allowed the deputy governor to brief him on how he has run the
state since he has been away.
for us that this culture of impunity has continued unchecked,” he said, adding:
“If the governor has recovered, and is prepared to resume his duties since
Sunday, he should have appeared in his office, attending to his files; he
should have allowed the deputy governor to brief him on how he has run the
state since he has been away.
“He should have met
with the speaker to find out what the House has done, but to keep him away from
all the relevant officials and agencies of state is not acceptable.
with the speaker to find out what the House has done, but to keep him away from
all the relevant officials and agencies of state is not acceptable.
“And for some people
to be running the show, and signing a letter purportedly signed by the governor
should not be tolerated in any decent society, having regard to what this
country went through when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was similarly
brought back to the country.
to be running the show, and signing a letter purportedly signed by the governor
should not be tolerated in any decent society, having regard to what this
country went through when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was similarly
brought back to the country.
“It was the same way
the then Vice-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, was shielded away. The Senate
President, the Speaker of the House – all of them were not allowed to visit
President Yar’Adua. And it’s been done now in Taraba State.
the then Vice-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, was shielded away. The Senate
President, the Speaker of the House – all of them were not allowed to visit
President Yar’Adua. And it’s been done now in Taraba State.
“The relevant
officials that should invoke the Constitutional provisions are not allowed
access to the governor. It should not be tolerated.
officials that should invoke the Constitutional provisions are not allowed
access to the governor. It should not be tolerated.
“I am happy the human
rights community has taken up the challenge to get to the root of the matter.”
rights community has taken up the challenge to get to the root of the matter.”
Falana also described
as illegal the dissolution of the executive council by Suntai.
as illegal the dissolution of the executive council by Suntai.
In a statement
yesterday, he said: “Today, the political joke was carried to a ridiculous
extent when the state executive was purportedly dissolved. The governor, who is
alleged to have resumed duty and taken the decision has not been able to report
in his office. In the circumstance, the members of the Taraba State Executive
Council should remain on their duty posts and insist on an urgent meeting with
the governor with a view to confirming if he had actually taken the decision to
sack them. On its own part, the House should not screen and confirm the list of
commissioners being prepared by the cabal to replace the executive members.
yesterday, he said: “Today, the political joke was carried to a ridiculous
extent when the state executive was purportedly dissolved. The governor, who is
alleged to have resumed duty and taken the decision has not been able to report
in his office. In the circumstance, the members of the Taraba State Executive
Council should remain on their duty posts and insist on an urgent meeting with
the governor with a view to confirming if he had actually taken the decision to
sack them. On its own part, the House should not screen and confirm the list of
commissioners being prepared by the cabal to replace the executive members.
“However, before the
state is plunged into further political crisis, the attention of the captors of
the ailing governor ought to be drawn to Section 1(2) of the Constitution,
which stipulates that no person or group of persons can take over the country
or any part of it except in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
state is plunged into further political crisis, the attention of the captors of
the ailing governor ought to be drawn to Section 1(2) of the Constitution,
which stipulates that no person or group of persons can take over the country
or any part of it except in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
“The Federal
Government should therefore direct the security forces to round up the coup
plotters, who are currently ruling Taraba State by usurping the constitutional
powers of the elected governor.
Government should therefore direct the security forces to round up the coup
plotters, who are currently ruling Taraba State by usurping the constitutional
powers of the elected governor.
“Having regard to the
experience of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan ( as he then was) under the
cabal that illegally ruled the country when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua
was in a state of coma, the Federal Government should not hesitate to defend
and protect the Consitution in Taraba State in the interest of law and order in
the country.
experience of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan ( as he then was) under the
cabal that illegally ruled the country when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua
was in a state of coma, the Federal Government should not hesitate to defend
and protect the Consitution in Taraba State in the interest of law and order in
the country.
“All men and women of
goodwill in the country should team up with the democratic forces in Taraba
State to end the brazen impunity of those who are exploiting the health of
Governor Suntai to achieve dubious political objectives.
goodwill in the country should team up with the democratic forces in Taraba
State to end the brazen impunity of those who are exploiting the health of
Governor Suntai to achieve dubious political objectives.
“The governor should
be freed to return to the hospital for further treatment without any further
delay,” he said.
be freed to return to the hospital for further treatment without any further
delay,” he said.
Source: The Nation
